Garbage can hand truck



June 29, 1965 U R 3,191,960

GARBAGE CAN HAND TRUCK v Filed NOV. 6, 1961 INVENTOR. LANCE H. TURNER ms ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,1915% GARBAGE CAN HAND TRUGIK Lance E. Turner, 38 N. Grant St, Midvale, Utah Filed Nov. 6, 1961, er. No. 150,457

' 4 Claims. (Ci. 28047.19)

The present invention relates to garbage can hand trucks and, more particularly, to a new and improved hand truck of the type described which is very convenient to use, both for purposes of storing refuse and also for removing and replacing garbage cans therein, and also which is highly desirous for other purposes intended which shall be hereinafter explained.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and useful, versatile, garbage can hand truck for conveniently storing refuse.

A further object is to provide a hand truck of the type described wherein the structure thereof permits the easy removal and replacement of garbage can from an open side, as is to be contrasted with conventional end placement.

. A further object is to provide a garbage can hand truck wherein appropriate means are included in the structure for centering the cans automatically, so that the number of cans for which the truck is intended may be replaced very conveniently and without adjacent can interference.

A further object is to provide a top or lid for the truck with a floating hinge structure connected thereto and to the body of the truck so that the bottom surface of the top member may engage, as by resting thereon,

the upper lips of garbage cans disposed in the truck;

thus, the lids generally associated with garbage cans will not be needed and can be discarded. I

A further object is to provide a top or lid structure for the truck which may'not be opened'by dogs or other animals, nor be blown upwardly by stiff winds.

A further object is to provide a hand truck of the type described wherein the rear leg thereof, if used, is supplied with a detent'means for engaging some type of ground mounted retainer so that the winds or other forces will not tip over the truck inadvertently.

A further object is to provide a hand truck of the type described wherein slide rails are supplied for the transversely loaded a garbage can, these slide rails declining slightly into the truck so that the garbage cans may be replaced in the truck very easily.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a garbage can hand truck according to the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an elevation of the reverse side of the hand truck of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a section taken along the line 33 in FIGURE 2. 7

FIGURE 4 is a view taken along the line 4-4 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a section taken along the line 55 in FIGURE 3 and is rotated 90 in a clockwise direction.

FlGURE 6 is a fragmentary, sectional detail, taken along the arcuate line 66 in FIGURE 4, of the intercooperation of the resilient ring provided the lip of the garbage can employed.

In the drawings the garbage can hand truck is designated as 10 and includes a panel construction 11 which Biblflhli Patentecldune 29, 165

ice

comprises front panel 12, side panel 13, and rear panel 14. The remaining side of the panel construction is designated as 15 and is open for access. The panels themselves may take any one of several configurements such as a grid structure, solid panels, or plywood or sheetmetal panels suitably reinforced, for example.

Secured to the panel construction 11 is a slide rail construction 17 comprising a plurality of transversely oriented slide rails 18 and a foot member or rail 19. The rails 18 may comprise straps or angle irons or other suitable structure. The slide rail construction 17 is secured by welding or by other means to the panel construction 11 previously mentioned. The rails 18 themselves may be welded or otherwise aflixed to the footrail 19.

It will be noted that'it is desirous that the footrail 19 protrude slightly outwardly from the panel construction 11. This is for the purpose of enabling easy positioning of the garbage cans for replacement purposes.

There may also be provided a bottom or floor 20 in in the construction as shown in FIGURES 3 and 5, howbeit floor 26 is optional in its employment.

The top or lid member T is supplied with a top 21 and side members 22, the top member T being recessed at R into panel construction 11 to form a tight, satis factory closure, when closed, and being supplied with a hinge or pivot pin 23 for engagement with slot 23 of hinge member or bracket 25, respective ones of the latter being secured to the panel construction, both front and rear, by rivets or other attachments 24.

It will be noted in connection with the above (see FIGURE 4) that the pin 23 can slide Within elongated slot 23' of panel construction bracket 24 (one being disposed at each end of the truck construction). This provides a floating hinge construction so that top T may adjust its angular and height orientation with respect to the enclosed garbage can 16 so that the same may easily rest upon the resilient angular rings 26 of cans 16.

There are many possible 'types of configurations for top T. Thus, the same might be provided with a separate undersurface member for sealing the top of the garbage can. Illustrated in one embodiment, however, is the fact that the top member 21 may itself supply by its undersurface 21' a sealing surface for the garbage cans to be disposed within the truck.

It should be noted that top surface 21" is angulated downwardly from the hinge construction at 25. This type of construction is advantageous since it prevents the truck from being opened inadvertently by strong winds, dogs, and so forth. Also angulated downwardly is the container support means or slide rail construction 17, the same permitting the garbage cans to be replaced very easily in the truck, with the cans sliding down the rails to their intended position.

Again, by virtue of the floating hinge construction at 25 of top T, the latter will be enabled to adjust to the orientation of the top rim or lip of the garbage cans so as to rest thereon in a level and tight, sealing manner. In this connection it is desirous that the garbage cans 16 be provided at their upper lips or rims 16 with a resilient angular ring 26, and made of sponge rubber, for example, designed preferably in an inverted U crosssectio'nal configuration so as to fit easily over the lip 16' of the can 26. This is illustrated with particularity in the detail shown in FIGURE 6.

Welded to the panel construction 11, or otherwise suitably secured thereto, and supported by upstanding support member 30, for example, is a garbage can centering means 27 which preferably, as shown, takes the form of a metal strap formed in a plurality of concave segments 28, the number depending of course upon the number of cans to be accommodated by the truck. For convenience the positioning means may be deformable for ease of can placement and may also be free from or attached to the side panel 13. The garbage can positioning means 27 will be disposed generally horizontally, with slight deviations therefrom so as to be parallel with the slide rail construction 17, for example, being permissible.

Attached to or otherwise fixedly disposed with respect to the panel construction 11 are wheel brackets or mounting means 33, these journaling or mounting the wheels 32 associated therewith.

While the truck 10 may have two, three or even four wheels, or perhaps one in certain contexts, it is desirous that the same be supplied with 2 wheels and a rear support leg 34, the latter being provided with a slot or detent means 35 engaging a ground mounted retainer 36 cemented, for example, within ground 37. The purpose for the detent means 35 which engages upper lip 36, of member 36, is to prevent wind or other forces from tipping the structure over.

Thus, the user will roll the truck into a convenient position so that the leg 34 is at nominal registry with member 36 as shown in FIGURE 1. Then he will lower the rear end of the truck so that the slot or detent means 35 is permitted to engage flange 36' of retainer 36. Then, with a slight forward push the structure will be releasably locked together so that wind or other forces will not tip over the truck.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made Without departing from this invention in its broader aspects, and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A garbage can truck including, in combination, a front panel, a rear panel, and a side panel fixedly secured together to form a three-sided panel construction, the remaining side of said panel construction being open, slide rail means communicating with said remaining side and fixedly disposed with respect to said panel construction at the lowermost extremity of the latter, top member means disposed over said panel construction for sealingly contacting uncovered tops of garbage cans disposed within said truck, floating hinge means pivotally securing said top member means to the panel construction, and rotatable wheel means disposed beneath and secured to said panel construction, and wherein said slide rail means are transversely disposed with respect to said truck and are downwardly angulated in a direction into said panel construction, and wherein said truck is provided with concave outwardly, garbage can centering means disposed nominally horizontally within said panel construction and above said slide rail means.

2. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said garbage can centering means is of a configuration of successive open concave segments.

3. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said garbage can centering means comprises at least one, arcuate, flexible strap.

4. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said garbage can centering means comprises a strap including plural concave segments facing in a direction toward the direction of incline of said angulatively declining slide rails.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 988,594 4/11 Ralston 21l84 X 1,080,578 12/13 Peppe 28047.19 1,241,481 9/ 17 Walker 2964 1,284,813 11/18 Sundheim 211-84 1,475,483 11/23 Galuska 280-47.35 X 2,131,673 9/38 Robinson 28047.19 2,503,368 4/50 Willetts 248-361 2,636,207 4/53 Reece 280-47.19 X 2,687,895 8/54 Rutledge 280-47.26 2,758,748 8/56 Konefes 220-73 2,774,509 12/ 5 6 Knoblock 22073 2,850,170 9/58 Palmer 2l184 3,028,015 4/62 Williams 21183 3,065,858 11/62 Furr 21l-84 A. HARRY LEVY, Primary Examiner.

BENJAMIN HERSI-I, Examiner. 

1. A GARBAGE CAN TRUCK INCLUDING, IN COMBINATION, A FRONT PANEL, A REAR PANEL, AND A SIDE PANEL FIXEDLY SECURED TOGETHER TO FORM A THREE-SIDED PANEL CONSTRUCTION, THE REMAINING SIDE OF SAID PANEL CONSTRUCTION BEING OPEN, SLIDE RAIL MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID REMAINING SIDE AND FIXEDLY DISPOSED WITH RESPECT TO SAID PANEL CONSTRUCTION AT THE LOWERMOST EXTREMITY OF THE LATTER, TOP MEMBER MEANS DISPOSED OVER SAID PANEL CONSTRUCTIONG FOR SEALINGLY CONTACTING UNCOVERED TOPS OF GARBAGE CANS DISPOSED WITHIN SAID TRUCK, FLOATING HINGE MEANS PIVOTALLY SECURING SAID TOP MEMBER MEANS TO THE PANEL CONSTRUCTION, AND ROTATABLE WHEEL MEANS DISPOSED BENEATH AND SECURED TO SAID PANEL CONSTRUCTION, AND WHEREIN SAID SLIDE RAIL MEANS ARE DOWNWARDLY ANGULATED IN A DIRECTION INTO SAID PANEL CONSTRUCTION, AND WHEREIN SAID TRUCK IS PROVIDED WITH CONCAVE OUTWARDLY, GARBAGE CAN CENTERING MEANS DISPOSED NOMINALLY HORIZONTALLY WITHIN SAID PANEL CONSTRUCTION AND ABOVE SAID SLIDE RAIL MEANS. 